Vanessa Gilles says Bayern Munich are ‘here to win and can win’ against Paris Saint-Germain in crucial Champions League matchup.
The German giants will face PSG tonight in the league phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. One member of the Munich squad with special insight into the French giants is Canadian defender Gilles, who spent three years at OL Lyonnes on loan from Angel City before making the move to the Bundesliga.
During her time there, Gilles helped Lyonnes secure multiple French league titles, including a dominant, unbeaten 2024–25 season.
‘I miss my second country’ says Gilles after leaving France
Gilles’ years in France were transformative; she evolved from a loanee into a central defensive cornerstone, collected major domestic silverware, and elevated her profile on one of Europe’s most competitive stages. It’s no surprise that she feels a deep attachment to the country and relishes the chance to face an old rival.
“I’m very excited to go back to France. I miss my second country very much,” she said. The defender described the PSG fixture as “a spectacular game to play in.”
She has even found herself defending France during light-hearted team debates about bakeries with her Bayern teammates.
“We’ve had a few arguments with the Germans here in the last few months about which country has the best bakeries,” she smiled. The 29-year-old added, “hopefully I can represent France well these next few days and show them that French bakeries are the best.”
These bakery debates are just one example of the close-knit culture Bayern are known for. Asked why team togetherness matters and how it develops, Gilles highlighted the importance of time spent together away from football.
“I think it’s huge. I think that definitely sets this team apart. Obviously, you guys see what’s on the pitch, what’s on social media, but the behind the scenes for me is what’s even more important.
“Especially being injured having a different schedule to the team. I think this team does a lot off the pitch that we don’t see which contributes to success on the pitch, and also contributes to the fact that people want to stay here, people want to be with this team and people enjoy being around each other. I think that’s huge.”
These off-pitch moments aren’t always football-related either. Gilles continued, “The other day we had a team trivia night that we organised amongst each other and the whole team pretty much showed up – everybody showed up, everybody contributed, everybody was super positive and having value.”
“I think that also goes to show the culture among the team and among the players and the culture that’s been set here. I don’t think that’s an easy thing to do. That’s something that doesn’t just happen overnight.
“It’s something that the previous players, current players and the former players work on and we are going to have to work on to keep it going. And as a current new player, I can only appreciate it and enjoy it.”
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‘It’s nice being back in the flow’ following injury expresses Gilles
After a stellar start to the Bundesliga season — scoring three goals in four matches, an impressive return for a defender — Gilles was sidelined by an injury that kept her out for over a month. Bayern Munich have recently faced a broader injury crisis as well, with midfielder Lena Oberdorf suffering a second ACL injury shortly after returning from her first, joining Sarah Zadrazil in the medical room.
Gilles says the strong sense of togetherness within the Bayern squad has been especially helpful during recovery periods. One of the highlights of her return, she explained, has been spending more time with her teammates, she explains.
“I think whenever you’re injured, whether it be a short injury or a longer injury, mentally it’s so hard. I think when your whole identity is based on football and you’re so used to being involved every day with the team, being injured is really hard.
So being back, it’s nice being back in the flow, being seeing my teammates more since we’re on the same schedule once again. Being able to experience the wins together is super, super fun.”
The team has also had to adjust in goal, with first-choice goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic dealing with injury. Mala Grohs has stepped in, and Gilles was quick to praise her contributions, emphasising how crucial her performances have been:
“I think we’ve been very, very solid,” she shared. “I think Mala has stepped up when Ena was injured, which is not easy – when you don’t have the playing time that you would like, especially for a goalkeeper. But I think she has done a fantastic job as well leading from the back and keeping us solid and organised.”
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PSG ‘a different team this year,’ Gilles acknowledges
Gilles faced PSG many times during her career with Lyon, and those matches were often especially intense due to the fierce rivalry between the clubs. While she values the experience she gained from those encounters, she notes that PSG have evolved since then.
“I’m very familiar with playing PSG. This year, though, they’re a different team. They’ve had several different coaches over the past four or five years, so their tactics and technical approach keep changing. There’s also been a lot of player rotation, even compared to last year when we played them with Lyon.”
Despite the changes, Gilles explained, some tactical elements remain consistent.
“The core of PSG remains the same defensively. They’re very man-marking oriented, strong on the counter, and very physical, both in midfield and up front.”
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‘We’re contenders’ Gilles declares
What the teams share is a need for three points. With six points, Bayern are currently in the play-off places, whilst PSG have yet to pick up a point and are currently at risk of elimination. A win for the French team would likely see them progress to the play-offs, whilst a loss would all but confirm their exit.
“It’s such an important game for both teams, it’s do or die for both of us right now, in terms of those three points,” Gilles noted. “We know that every point wins, like I said, especially with the goal difference.”
In a group with Wolfsburg, FC Barcelona, PSG, and OH Leuven, it could be argued that Bayern are in the most difficult group of the competition – something Gilles would agree with.
“I don’t think we had the easiest of draws. If I saw that coefficient co-efficiency thing right between us and Wolfsburg — yeah, we’ve definitely felt it,” she said.
Gilles added, “that is also the excitement of Champions League — having these really exciting games, getting to play these really world-class players and world-class clubs in really cool stadiums.”
Bayern Munich have also taken confidence from their last experience in Europe, when they overturned a 2-0 deficit against defending Champions Arsenal, eventually winning 3-2.
“In the second half against Arsenal, when we were really able to turn it up, it reflected confidence. Coming from a game against Barcelona [where the team lost 7-1] to then beating Arsenal, the Champions League winners, was important for us.
“It helped us feel like we belong, that we’re contenders. We’re here to win, and we can win.”